WNBA star Caitlin Clark honors former Colorado Buffaloes QB Shedeur Sanders

Two of the most recognizable stars shared the spotlight this weekend—this time through a subtle yet unmistakable gesture.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, sidelined with a quad injury, drew headlines ahead of Saturday’s game against the Chicago Sky when she mimicked Shedeur Sanders’ trademark “watch flex” celebration.

The moment, captured pregame as Clark flashed her Rolex for the cameras, was an apparent nod to the Cleveland Browns quarterback.

The celebration, made famous by Sanders during his breakout 2023 campaign at Colorado, is already part of pop culture, mimicked by his Browns' teammates, and even animated into EA Sports College Football 25.

On Saturday, it made its way to the WNBA.

Caitlin Clark and Shedeur Sanders aren’t just athletes—they’re branding powerhouses. They are changing the future of how sports professionals connect with fans and business. With major endorsement deals for both of them, their influence goes far beyond the playing field (or in this case, the court).

The connection between Clark and Sanders isn’t direct, but it’s easy to see why they remain linked. Both were the most dominant—and marketable—names in college sports, and now in professional sports.

Clark, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, is recovering from a left quad strain and has missed four consecutive games. Despite her absence, she had everyone's attention being on the Fever bench.

Sanders, who is competing for a spot on the depth chart behind veterans Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Deshaun Watson, has had every throw in OTAs watched by everyone like hawks.

Not to mention, he also leads all NFL rookies in jersey sales.

The “watch flex” is symbolic of the future of sports. Clark’s use of the celebration, subtle as it was, speaks to its power. Her pregame moment is a tribute to a fellow athlete who, like her, is more than just a player.

Clark’s influence has reshaped women’s basketball, driving attendance, TV ratings, jersey sales, and is credited with increasing WNBA franchise values by hundreds of millions.

The celebration has become a personal emblem in pop culture regarding sports and branding.

Caitlin and Shedeur have redefined what it means to be a modern athlete. They’re not just competing in games or in depth charts—they’re commanding boardrooms and broadcast deals, cultural moments and market trends.

From watch flexes to shoe drops, they’re signaling a powerful shift in sports: the future belongs to athletes who own the brand, in every sense of the word.

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